Passport of Walter Singer, 1938

Description:

This is the passport of Walter Singer. It was issued September 6, 1938 by the "Deutches Reich" or "The German Empire."Walter Singer was born in Vienna Austria on November 17, 1916, Singer fled Nazi Germany in 1939. Walter Singer was married in Vienna on July 31, 1938, the last day that Jews were allowed to marry in Austria after the Nazi invasion.This passport includes a physical description of Singer. He is described as having a medium build, with a long face, blue eyes and blond hair. His profession is listed, but indecipherable.Realizing that the Jews in Austria were in great danger, he and his wife Edith secured passports and booked passage to Latvia.The passport outlines Singer's travel plans. As is listed in the passport, Singer intended to travel to: Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Australia, The United States of America, Latvia, or Great Britain.Latvia refused entrance to Singer and his wife, and they were forced to go back to German territory. There are a number of stamps in the passport showing Singer leaving Austria and returning, there is also a stamp from the Länderbank, Wien the country bank of Vienna.Singer was arrested by the Gestapo on November 9, 1938. Singer's wife, Edith, learning of his arrest, begged the officers for his release. Her request was granted on the condition that she could acquire two steamer ship tickets out of Europe. The couple went back to Vienna and received American visas on January 6, 1939. There is an Immigration Visa stamp on the final page of the passport that was processed February 13, 1939 at the American Consulate in Vienna Germany.